Method of and apparatus for producing foam for fire extinction



A. V. SAMMIS May 9, 1939.

METHOD OF AND PPARATUS FO PRODUCING FOAM FOR FIRE EXTINCTION Filed April 22, 1957 3f ia izazz INVENTO'R ATTORNEYS Patented 'May 9, 1939 PATE-NT OFFICEl METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUC- lNG FOAM FOR FIRE EXTINCTION Albert V. Sammis, Huntington, N. Y.

Application April 22,

2 Claims.

This invention is directed to an improved method and apparatus for producing foam for iire extinction and fundamentally involves 1the automatic mixing of air, water anda foam-form- 5 ing agent in proper proportions without' the use,

however, of any moving parts, 'and without anyv the discharge side of the machine and the opening of a valve in the line leading to the supply of foam-forming agent.

A further object of my .invention is the provision of a method and apparatus of the character above indicated whereby water and air are passed through one line, and water and a foaming'agent through another line, the water, air and foaming agent merging in a mixing chamber in which the foam is formed and from which it is discharged upon the iire. y

'I'he equipment is small and compact in design, automatic in' operation and adapted for stationary as well as portable installation. It has a further advantage over prior constructions, in that in use the equipment may be shut off at the hose nozzle or outlet valve, whereas in prior devices it is necessary to shut olf between the device and the water supply source.

Fig. 1 is a. plan view in part section of an embodiment of my invention; v

Fig.v 2 is a section taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig.- 3 is an end view; and Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken substantially on the lines 4 4 and 5 5, respectively, of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail: 2 desigto and;y communicating with one endofeach of" the headers 2 and 6 is a pipe Ii. A similar pipe I6 connects the other end of each header to leach other,

The pipe I4 for purposes of description will lhereinafter'lie referred to as an air line, while the pipeV t6 for purposes of clarity of description will 'be referred to as a foaming agent-line.

- f.28"of the jet pump 35 is coupled to aline 42 lead- `1937, Serial N0. 138,285

The wall of the air line I4, as will be seen from Figs. 2 and 5, is provided with an opening or'port I8 communicating with a port 20 in a sleeve 22 which surrounds the pipe(y The two ports I8 and 20 communicate with air intake -operiing 24 in a'sleeve 26 which surrounds the pipe I4 and sleeve 22. The intake opening 24 is provided with an air intake nozzle 28 equipped with check Valve 30. This valve unseats toward the .intake 24. 'I'he sleeves 22 and 26 are preferably split longitudinally and the two halves bolted together about the pipe I4 by the bolts 32. The sleeves may be of one-piece construction if desired.

Fitting within the pipe I4 is a tube 34`, provided at its rear en d with openings 36 for the ow of Water thereinto out of the header 2, its forward end being contracted to form a nozzle or jet terminating approximately at the air intake ports I8 and 20.

Within -the air line I 4, beyond the nozzle of the tube 34, isa preferably straight tube 38 of materially reduced diameter with respect to the internal diameterA of the pipe I4. 'I'his construction provides a jet pump which I designate 35.'

It will be evident that'with water from the header 2 flowing through the jet pump 35 a Vacuum created suction action will result at the jet pump to eiect unseating of the check valve 30 to draw air into the pump to mix with the Water passing therethrough, the air and Water Yflowing into the mixing chamber 8. The mixture of air and water as it enters the mixing chamber is deflected by the walls of the chamber so as to agitate the mixture.

The foaming agent pipe I 6 internally is constructed substantially the same as the air line I4 to provide a jet pump 39. 'Ihe intake connection 4I) which corresponds to the air intake nozzle ing to a supply'of foaming material in a tankl 4,4. This line 42 is equipped with a pet cock' 46 which may be closed when a plain water stream is desired or when the equipment is not in use. It will be evident that as water1 flows from the header 2 through the pipe I6 a vacuum created suction action result due to the jet pump 39 to draw the foaming agent from the tank 44, the foaming agent being` carried along with the water tothe mixing chamber 8. As this mixture en' ters the mixing chamber it will be deected vor baiiied by the walls of the chamber to give the' mixture a swirling'y motion; this swirling body mergingvwith the stream of water and air entert5 ing the chamber 8 through the line I6, air being drawn into the equipment at the iet pump 35 by the action of the jet pump, to cause a thorough commingling and mixingof the air, water and foaming agent to produce the desired ire extinguishing foam.

Extending centrally of the unit is a water line 48 controlled by'a valve 48. One end of this line vis in communication with the header 2, while theV other end communicates with the header 6 and the mixing chamber 8 through a nozzle orifice 50 which is directly abrest of the end of the' outlet l the lines I4 and I6 meet each other.

The unit is renclosed in a housing comprising .an upper section 58 and a lower section 58. The

lower housing section 58 isprovided with cradles 60 for supporting the pipes I4' and I6. Straps 62 hold the unit in place on the `cradles.

` For convenience in` assembling, the ends of l the pipes I4, I6 and 48 are tapered to fit tapered openings in the headers 2 and 6 and the two headers are drawn together so as toV hold the pipes I4, I6 and 48 liquid-tight .in the headers 1 preferably by tie rods 64. 'I'he pipes I4, I6 and 48 may be threaded into the headers, if desired, or otherwise attached thereto. Y

- It will be seen from all of theforegoing that with the pet-cock 46, the valve in the outlet pipe or hose I2, and the water supply valve andvalve 49 open, water flowing through the lines I4 and I6 will, through the jet lpump action of thevjet pumps 35 and 38, draw air into the unit atthe air nozzle 28 and foaming agent into the unit at the nozzle 40. The streams of water and air and water and foaming agent will ow to the mixing chamber 8 wherel they are merged and mixed. It will be appreciated. also that the rush of water through nozzle I! and chamber 8A and into the pipe I2,wil1 produce the jet pump action and result inA a negative pressure in the mixing chamber to insure a thorough commingling and mixing of the foaming agent with the air and water to produce the necessary foaming action at the inner end of the pipe or hose I2. The foaming agent may be any of 'the well known saponifying agents.

It will be appreciated also that the unit may be shut off at the line I2, that is, at the nozzle of the hose, if desired, and that no back surge will be created, the escape of the foam or water from the unit being effectively prevented by the check valves in the air and foaming agent intakes.

Itwill be appreciated also that the equipment may be operated Without the line 48 if desired, by simply closing the valve 49;v and that if a vStream of water is desired the supply offoaming agent can be shut off merely by closing the petcock 46.

It is to beunderstood that changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts hereinabove described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. The method of producing a fire extinguishing foam which methodcomprises introducing a foaming agent into a owing stream of water by the vacuumecreated suction action of said stream, simultaneously introducing air into va separate stream of water by the vacuum-created suction action of said second stream, and' then causing said streams to impingejagainst each other. to

' effect mixing of the air, Water and foaming agent and simultaneously forcibly injecting a third stream of water into and through the mixture to augment the mixing action and produce a driving force on the resultant foam.

2. Apparatus for producing foam for lire extinction comprising in combination, a header, a mixing chamber, a pair of tubes connecting said header and chamber, a jet pump in each of said tubes to produce a vvacuum therein to -draw air into one tube and a foaming agent into the other, and a third tube connecting said header and chamber and comprising a jet pump for producing a negative pressure in the mixing chamber.

' ALBERT V. SAMMIS, 

